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Day Trips from Vienna

Home to Freud, opera, classical music and associated with plenty that just screams “fancy,” Vienna is one of the most elegant cities on the planet. The thing is, it’s still a city. And sometimes you just need to get out of the concrete jungle (as beautiful as this one happens to be) and explore what’s beyond the hustle and bustle.

Here are some worthy options if you’re contemplating your choices for day trips from Vienna.

Liechtenstein Castle

A mere 20 minutes outside of Vienna’s city centre will find you in the wee little town of Molding, known for that behemoth on the edge of town — Liechtenstein Castle. Just don’t confuse it with the taller, cliff-hugging Lichtenstein astle in neighbouring Germany. Built in 1130 as a tribute to the then current Prince, this sprawling castle housed the royals for over 200 years. It’s now privately owned (one of the few in Austria) and a guided tour takes about 50 minutes.

Salzburg

Consistently lauded as one of the most picturesque cities in the world (believe me — it is!), Salzburg really deserves more than just a day. But if you’re intent to see it in one, leave early — it takes about 2 and a half hours to get here from Vienna. Alternatively, you could conceivably book a flight that would get you there in about 45 minutes (check fly.co.uk for flights from Vienna.) Once you do make your way there, you’re spoiled for choice when it comes to things to. Salzburg’s beautiful old town (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) competes with attractions such as its imposing fortress, and the nearby Sound of Music sites for your time.

Bratislava, Slovakia

One of the great things about Europe is that everything is so close — and that goes for countries too. The Slovakian capital of Bratislava is only an hour train ride from downtown Vienna, so if you’d like to add another country to your bucket list, you may want to consider this day trip. Bratislava’s Old Town is grittier than Salzburg’s, but its astonishingly beautiful nonetheless. A short public bus ride will take you to Delvin Castle on the city’s outskirts, and the views from the these ruins are well worth the short climb — it’s unparalleled in this region.